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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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,,,,,~*%&¶ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% AND A GIFT SHOP. %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% CONSIDERED POOR. %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& SOME ARE SHATTERED. &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## ** ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### ** ** ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# ** ** #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ ** ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## ** ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### ** ** ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# ** ** #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ ** ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* FLOOR. *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& BECOME STILL. &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# ** #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## ** ** ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## ** ** ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# ** #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~* CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST *~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, %*~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,~*%&¶## SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ##¶&%*~,,,
,,~*%&¶### THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ###¶&%*~,,
,,,~*%&¶## GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ##¶&%*~,,,
,,,,~*%&¶# I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE #¶&%*~,,,,
,,,,,~*%&¶ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¶&%*~,,,,,
,,,,,,~*%& &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~*% I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. %*~,,,,,,,
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